It was two weekends ago that Charl Schwartzel, fresh off a third-round loss at the WGC Match Play, headed to South Florida in hopes of spending a little practice time with Ernie Els.

Els wound up inviting his fellow South African to bunk down at his Jupiter home. Now the major champion and the up-and-comer stand in each other's way on the final leg of their pursuit of the WGC-CA Championship.

"He owes me," Els said with a broad smile after the twosome finished a wind-blown Saturday deadlocked for the lead at the TPC Blue Monster. "I fed him well. I gave him good wine. So he owes me, big-time."

Said Schwartzel: "I'm sure we'll have a good time and a good battle."

The 25-year-old pro led after a similarly windy opening round and proved among the steadiest again on Saturday, carding just one bogey in his second 5-under-par 67 of the week.

That performance lifted Schwartzel alongside Els, who struggled with his putter on the way to a 70. Both reached the 54-hole checkpoint at 12-under 204, one stroke ahead of Padraig Harrington (67).

Harrington could have made it a three-way tie atop the chart, but three-putted an 18th hole made far easier by a change of wind direction — ending a run of 26 conscutive holes without a bogey.

"Finishing 11-under or 12-under has no real effect on the outcome [today]," said Harrington, like Els a three-major winner. "I don't feel like I have to attack any more and I certainly can't defend."

Robert Allenby lurked two strokes off the pace despite a 71, followed by Bob Hope Classic winner Bill Haas (70-207) and Germany's Martin Kaymer (66-208).

Though Saturday's weather report listed wind gusts only to 15 mph, most everyone out at Doral Golf Resort & Spa said they felt at least as strong as Thursday's 25 mph top speeds. And they were gusting more frequently, leaving players struggling to plan their ball flight.

"A lot of holes, we weren't quite sure whether it was helping or hurting, and those are the worst," said Paul Casey, five shots off the pace after Saturday's 68.

Schwartzel is competing in just his seventh World Golf Championships event. His best finish in any of the stroke-play versions was a tie for 18th at the CA's predecessor in 2006, when it was being moved to different locales.

Check his career, though, and you see a steady progression — a three-time money champion on the Sunshine Tour in his homeland, followed by wins in each of his first three European Tour seasons.

"I definitely sense something different," said Chubby Chandler, manager for both Els and Schwartzel. "More confidence. He's comfortable with where he is."

Comfortable enough, in fact, to drive from Orlando to Palm Beach Countybefore asking Els if he might use The Bear's Club as his guest.

"I just found him, actually, to ask him if I could practice with him," Schwartzel said. "He said, ‘Sure, why don't you come stay with me?' "

Schwartzel wound up spending nine days there — not only using The Bear's Club facilities, but getting on for two rounds with Els at famed Seminole Golf Club.

Els played last week's Honda Classic while Schwartzel remained idled, but they still practiced together in the evenings.

"He almost feels like a little brother to me," said Els, who once won a local team event with Schwartzel's father in their homeland. Little Charl also traveled for a time with Els' junior golf foundation.

"Now here we are in the final round," Els continued. "I think if we talked about it last week to end up this way, I don't think we ever would have in our wildest dreams have imagined that."

By the way, Schwartzel will stay an extra week with Els after Sunday's finish.

"It's going to depend on how it goes down [in the final round]," Els quipped. "He might be sleeping in the garden, you never know."